27 November 2000

Employers Getting On With The Job Under New Employment Law

The Minister of Labour Margaret Wilson says the latest Morgan and Banks job index survey demonstrates what the government has said all along about the Employment Relations Act.

"We have always said that business, once it had seen past the politics of opposition to the new law would find it a helpful and constructive piece of legislation".

Ms Wilson said the survey was confirmed by reports to members by the Employers and Manufacturers Association (Central) which said that under the ERA "there have been no major problems for employers and … unions and employees have not at this stage raised any issues of great concern to employers".

The survey shows that 85.4% of employers say they have not slowed progress in hiring as a result of the Act.

"Given the extreme commentaries on the Act from some sources this result is a tribute to the commonsense of New Zealand business owners and managers. It's particularly pleasing to see that a third of businesses give "expanding into new markets" as a major driver of change and a further third list "introducing new products/services as their major source of change," said Ms Wilson.

"The new law is entirely suited for an expanding and changing business sector led by people with imagination and drive".

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